2008 Ford Escape Complaint Log

I WAS PASSING ANOTHER VEHICLE - STARTING SPEED 40 MPH - WHEN THE ESCAPE WENT INTO PASSING GEAR THE GAS PEDAL STUCK TO THE FLOOR. I KICKED AT THE PEDAL AND THE BRAKE PEDAL TRYING TO GET THE CRUISE CONTROL TO RELEASE THE PEDAL. I DID NOT HAVE THE CRUISE CONTROL OPERATING AT THE TIME AS I HAD JUST WENT THROUGH A 45 MPH ZONE. I GOT MY FOOT UNDER THE EDGE OF THE PEDAL AND PULLED IT UP. THE CAR WAS UP TO 90 MPH ON A TWO LANE HIGHWAY AT 10:30 P.M COMING INTO A CURVE. I HAVE CONTACTED FORD MOTOR COMPANY AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THERE ARE NO RECALLS FOR THE 2008 ESCAPE, BUT I KNOW THERE ARE RECALLS FOR OTHER YEARS FOR THIS SAME PROBLEM. THE FORD DEALER REPAIR SHOP COULD NOT MAKE THE PEDAL STICK AND TOLD ME THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR. I WANT TO MAKE FORD AND YOUR AGENCY AWARE THAT THE 2008 ESCAPE HAS THE SAME PEDAL STICKING PROBLEM AS THE OLDER MODELS. *TR

VEHICLE WRENCH LIGHT CAME ON THE DASH IN THE MORNING GOING TO WORK. ON THE WAY HOME I WAS STOPPING BY LOCAL AUTO PARTS STORE TO HAVE CODE TESTED. THE AUTO PARTS TECH SAID THAT THERE WERE NO CODES POPPING UP. AS I LEFT AND PULLED AWAY FROM THE STORE THE TRANSMISSION JUMPED IN RPMS BEFORE IT LURCHED INTO THE 2ND AUTOMATIC GEAR CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SHUDDER. EVERY TIME I ACCELERATED FROM A STOP TO HIGHER SPEEDS THE RPMS WOULD JUMP UP TO 3-4 THOUSAND BEFORE IT WOULD JUMP INTO THE NEXT GEAR. TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER GARAGE. THEY SAID IT WAS GIVING THEM CODES RELATED TO TSB 12-4-8. THE ESTIMATE FOR THE REPAIR IS $2200. FORD HAS ISSUED THIS AS A TSB KNOWING THAT IT IS AN ISSUE. THEY SHOULD TAKE CARE OF THE REPAIR. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH THE POWER STEERING FAILED. AS A RESULT, SHE WAS UNABLE TO MANEUVER THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE BUT WAS UNABLE TO FIND WHERE THE POWER STEERING FLUID WAS LOCATED. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND THE STEERING WAS OPERATING NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WAS 127,000.

THE GAS PEDAL STICKS. I HAVE BEEN TOLD IT IS MOST LIKELY THE THROTTLE BODY. IT IS GETTING PROGRESSIVELY WORSE AND I FEAR IT MAY LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT IF IT IS NOT REPAIRED. *TR

I HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE BEARINGS. I GO SLOW AND TURN. THE SAME SIDE CONTINUES TO NEED REPAIR I HAVE REPAIRED IT 3 TIMES IN 3 YEARS AND NOW IT IS MESSING UP AGAIN. I HAVE BEEN TO 2 DIFFERENT MECHANICS AND THEY BOTH SAID THE SAME THING (THAT THE BEARINGS GO OUT ON THESE CARS OFTEN ) I THINK THE CAR MY BE TOO HEAVY FOR THE WHEEL SYSTEM THEY CHOSE NOT SURE BUT IT STARTS TO PULL MY STEERING WHEEL TO THAT SIDE AND I HAVE HAD 2 ALIGNMENTS BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE HELP! *TR

THE ELECTRONIC COOLANT PUMP IS KNOWN PROBLEM AND FORD IS FINALLY SUPPOSED TO BE FIXING THIS THROUGH A RECALL OCTOBER 2014. (HTTP://WWW.GREENCARREPORTS.COM/NEWS/1094407_2005-2008-FORD-ESCAPE-HYBRID-RECALLED-ALSO-MERCURY-MARINER-HYBRIDS). DRIVING IN NEW MEXICO ON A FAMILY VACATION, THE CAR SUDDENLY SAYS TO STOP SAFELY NOW WARNING COMES UP. MIND YOU THAT WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF NO WHERE AND IT'S OVER ONE HUNDRED DEGREES WITH TWO SMALL CHILDREN IN THE CAR. SOMEHOW, WE BARELY MAKE IT INTO LAS CRUCES, NM ABOUT AN HOUR LATER. SO, AFTER WAITING A FEW HOURS THEY TELL US THAT THEIR HYBRID TECH ISN'T THERE AND IS ON VACATION. REALLY? IT TOOK A FEW HOURS TO FIGURE OUT THAT HE WASN'T THERE? ANYWAY, THEY SUGGESTED TO TRY AND CONTINUE ON TO PHOENIX, AZ WHERE THEY WOULD KNOW WHAT TO DO. SO, WE TRY HEADING OUT, BUT THE CAR GOES OUT AGAIN AS SOON AS WE GET ON THE FREEWAY. SO, WE DO THE PULL OVER AND RESTART THING ABOUT TWENTY TIMES UNTIL WE MAKE IT BACK TO THE LAS CRUCES DEALERSHIP. WE HAD TO STAY IN LAS CRUCES FOR A WEEK, COSTING US THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN WHAT WE NOW CALL THE ADVENTURE OF A LIFETIME. THIS HAS RECENTLY HAPPENED AGAIN WITH OUR ESCAPE, AND THEY WANT TO CHARGE US AGAIN TO FIX THIS. FORD NEEDS TO GET IT'S ACT TOGETHER, OR I WILL NOT BE PURCHASING FROM THEM AGAIN. *TR

ON 4 SEPARATE OCCASIONS, ALL OCCURRING AT HIGHWAY SPEED AFTER AT LEAST 40 MINUTES OF DRIVING ON A HOT DAY, THE CAR'S ENGINE SUDDENLY CUT OFF, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO LOSE SPEED RAPIDLY. A RED TRIANGLE WARNING LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD WITH THE FOLLOWING WORDS: "PULL OVER SAFELY NOW AND TURN OFF ENGINE". ALL 4 TIMES I WAS DRIVING AROUND 65 MPH ON AN INTERSTATE. ALL 4 TIMES THE CAR STARTED AGAIN NORMALLY AFTER A FEW MINUTES. AFTER THE 3RD INCIDENT, I STARTED THE CAR AGAIN SOON, AND IT STALLED AGAIN AFTER 10 MORE MINUTES OF HIGHWAY DRIVING. FIRST INCIDENT LATE JULY 2012, THEN LATE AUGUST 2012, AND TWICE ON JUNE 19, 2013. THIS IS A TERRIFYING EXPERIENCE, AND I WAS EXTREMELY LUCKY NOT TO BE REAR ENDED. THE DEALER CLAIMS IT CANNOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM OR SEE ANY CODES IN DIAGNOSTIC COMPUTER, REFUSES TO PURSUE. HELP!!!! *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WHEN HE NOTICED A PUDDLE OF TRANSMISSION FLUID UNDERNEATH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000.

THIS IS THE SECOND OF TWO INCIDENTS WHERE POWER WAS LOST AND THE CAR BECAME UNRESPONSIVE. FIRST, WAS ONE WEEK PRIOR DRIVING FROM LA TO SAN DIEGO AT 5PM. WE GOT A FLAT ON THE HIGHWAY IN IRVINE CA. WE PULLED OVER AND CHANGED THE TIRE BUT WHEN WE STARTED THE ENGINE IT WOULD NOT START. THE LIGHTS CAME ON BUT WITH A WARNING LIGHT TO "STOP SAFELY NOW". I THOUGHT THIS WAS FROM THE TIRE AND PRESSED THE RESET BUTTON BUT THE WARNING WOULD NOT CLEAR. WE JUMPED THE CAR ONCE AND WERE UNSUCCESSFUL, WE JUMPED IT AGAIN AND AGAIN NOTHING, WE TOWED THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC AND THE TOW TRUCK TRIED TO JUMP IT AGAIN AND THIS TIME THE LIGHTS WOULD NOT COME ON. WE JUMPED WHILE HOLDING THE BUTTON FOR THE HIGH VOLTAGE BATTERY WHICH WE FOUND OUT ABOUT IN THE MANUAL BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT START. WE PAID THE TOW AND CALLED FOR A RIDE HOME. I MISSED WORK AND MY MOTHER TOOK ME BACK TO LA TO WAIT FOR THE CAR. THE MECHANIC REPLACED THE BATTERY. I WAITED 8 HOURS FOR THE MECHANIC TO SAY THAT THE CAR NEEDED TO BE TAKEN OUT OF A SAFETY MODE AND THAT THIS CAN'T BE DONE MANUALLY IN THE EVENT IT HAPPENED AGAIN. THE NEXT WEEK, AFTER PULLING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY TO GO HOME SUNDAY NIGHT THE RED TRIANGLE LIGHT CAME ON AND WARNED ME TO "STOP SAFELY NOW" AND THEN I COULD NOT ACCELERATE PAST 20MPH AND THEN 10MPH AS I SLOWED TO PULL OVER. I KILLED THE ENGINE, WAITED TEN MIN. AND RESTARTED BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE AND THE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN. I WAITED UNTIL MIDNIGHT TO BE TOWED TO THE DEALER, GOT A RIDE, AND I AM NOW ON THE BUS UNTIL SOMETHING CAN BE DONE. AFTER RESEARCHING OTHER COMPLAINTS I AM SAD TO FIND THAT THIS PROBLEM IS COMMON, IT IS UNRESOLVED, IT IS DANGEROUS FOR A SAFETY MECHANISM TO CAUSE THE DRIVER TO SUDDENLY LOSE POWER, AND IT IS INCONVENIENT TO BE STRANDED AND UNABLE TO TROUBLESHOOT THE CAR IF THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE ENGINE AND IT IS A COMPUTER MALFUNCTION. *TR

TRANSMISSION HAS PREVIOUSLY BEEN REPAIRED FOR LEAKING TRANSMISSION FLUID AT APPROX. 25,000. NOW, AT ABOUT 60,000 MILES THE TRANSMISSION HAS SEIZED. IT APPEARS MANY OWNERS ARE HAVING PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSIONS ON THIS VEHICLE AND FORD IS TRYING TO SAY THAT ABNORMAL NOISE AND FAILURES ARE TYPICAL. *TR

DRIVING FOR ABOUT 30 MINUTES AT HIGHWAY SPEED AND THE GAS MOTOR SHUTS OFF AND GOES IN TO LIMP MODE USING ONLY BATTERY HYBRID POWER. THE CAR WON'T RESTART MOTOR WHILE ROLLING. THE DASH SHOWS A MESSAGE TO PULL OVER AND STOP WITH A LITTLE RED TRIANGLE. IN ORDER TO RESTART THE MOTOR YOU HAVE TO COMPLETELY TURN THE KEY TO THE OFF POSITION. THE CAR WILL IMMEDIATELY START BACK UP AND DRIVE BETWEEN 1/2 TO 1 MILE THEN SHUTS DOWN AGAIN. REPEAT PROCESS AGAIN AND AGAIN UNTIL GOT OFF THE HIGHWAY. ONCE OFF THE HIGHWAY, I STOPPED WITH THE MOTOR SHUT IT OFF FOR APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES AND THE CAR STARTED BACK UP AND OPERATED NORMALLY. DROVE AN ADDITIONAL 30 MILES WITH NO PROBLEMS. NO ISSUES FOR ABOUT THREE WEEKS THEN SAME SCENARIO OF MULTIPLE STALLS ON THE HIGHWAY. CAR WORKED FINE THE FOLLOWING DAY. NO ENGINE LIGHTS OR CODES. THE FIRST INCIDENT OCCURRED WHILE RAINING. THE SECOND INCIDENT OCCURRED AT NIGHT WHEN IT WAS DRY. *TR

I HAVE A 2008 FORD ESCAPE, 3.0L V6 ENGINE. WE PURCHASED THE EXTENDED WARRANTY AND SERVICE CONTRACT WITH FORD AND HAD THE CAR SERVICED AT FORD UNTIL 6 MONTHS AGO WHEN THE SERVICE CONTRACT RAN OUT. THE CAR IS JUST OVER 4 YEARS OLD AT 105,000 MILES AND THE 2ND GEAR IN THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT WHILE TRYING TO MERGE INTO TRAFFIC ON A HIGHWAY. I REACHED OUT TO FORD TO REQUEST A GOOD WILL REPAIR GIVEN THE FACT THAT THIS IS AN ONGOING ISSUE AND THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON THE MESSAGE BOARDS AS WELL AS GIVEN THE FACT THAT WE HAVE DILIGENTLY HAD THE CAR MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR DONE BY FORD AND THEY REFUSED. LOOKING AT THE MESSAGE BOARDS, THIS SEEMS TO BE A SIGNIFICANT RECURRING PROBLEM WITH THE ESCAPE AND I BELIEVE FORD NEEDS TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. THIS PRESENTS NOT ONLY A HAZARD TO THE DRIVER BUT ALSO TO OTHER DRIVERS AS WHEN THE PROBLEM OCCURS, THE CAR LOOSES SPEED AND THE RPMS REV OUT. *TR

STEERING WAS VERY LOOSE CAUSING VEHICLE TO WEAVE BACK AND FORTH ON ROADWAY..TOOK VEHICLE TO REPAIR SHOP AND LOWER STEERING ARM WAS REPLACED CORRECTING PROBLEM. *TR

THIS IS MY SECOND SUBMISSION. THIS MORNING WHILE DRIVING TO WORK THE ABS LIGHT CAME ON ALONG WITH A "CHECK BRAKE SYSTEM" MESSAGE AND "REGEN BRAKES DISABLED". IN THE PAST WHEN THIS HAPPENED I STILL HAD BRAKES BUT HAD TO MASH THEM DOWN TO GET THE VEHICLE TO STOP. THIS MORNING I WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. MY VEHICLE THEN WENT OFF THE ROAD AND INTO A DRAINAGE DITCH. THE VEHICLE NEEDED TO BY LYNCHED OUT AND TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. I AM THANKFUL THAT I WAS ONLY GOING ABOUT 30MPH AND ENDED UP IN A DITCH RATHER THAN A BUSY INTERSECTION. THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE AND I DON'T EVER WANT TO DRIVE THAT VEHICLE AGAIN. I HAVE 2 SMALL CHILDREN WHO I AM THANKFUL WERE NOT WITH ME. *TR

THE VEHICLE NEEDS A SECOND MOTOR REPLACEMENT. IT BREAKS DOWN WITH NO WARNING PRIOR TO DOING SO, CAUSING GREAT DANGER ON THE ROAD FOR DRIVER AND PASSENGERS AS WELL AS OTHER DRIVERS ON THE ROAD. BOTH TIMES THE CAR BROKE DOWN ON MY THERE WAS NO INDICATION ON THE DASHBOARD, NO AUDIBLE WARNING AND IT SHUTS DOWN IN A FASHION WHERE THERE IS LITTLE CONTROL OF THE CAR. I'VE ALSO RECENTLY HAD THE THROTTLE RECALL ADDRESSED. THE FIRST MOTOR DIED AT 65K IN 2012 AND THIS MOTOR HAS NOW DIED AT 35K IN 2014. CLEARLY THERE IS SOMETHING DANGEROUSLY WRONG WITH THE HYBRID MOTOR AND/OR THE LOAD OF THE OTHER HYBRID COMPONENTS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 55 MPH WHEN THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL BECAME STUCK IN OPEN THROTTLE. THE VEHICLE THEN LOST POWER AND THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE ANY FURTHER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP BUT WAS NOT INSPECTED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT NO ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 142,000. ..UPDATED 09/04/12 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE GAS ACCELERATOR FELL APART LIKE A PUZZLE. THERE IS NO DEVICE ON IT TO PREVENT IT FROM HAPPENING AGAIN. THE DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND STATED THERE HAS BEEN A NEWLY DEVELOPED PART TO REPAIR THE ISSUE BUT, THE CONSUMER MUST PURCHASE IT. UPDATED 09/12/2012 *JS

FORD ESCAPE HYBRID (FEH) "STOP VEHICLE SAFELY" RED TRIANGLE WARNING AND IMMEDIATE ENGINE SHUTDOWN DUE TO THE WELL-KNOWN DEFECT IN THE BOSCH OEM MOTOR ELECTRONICS COOLING SYSTEM (MECS) PUMP IN THE 2005-2008 MODEL YEARS. SEE FORD TSB 08-24-5. IF THE NHTSA DID EVEN A CURSORY SEARCH ON THE INTERNET THEY WOULD SEE MANY, MANY HUNDREDS OF POSTINGS AND RELATED ACCIDENTS OR NEAR-MISSES. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEM BECAUSE FAILURE IS ONLY TRIGGERED BY DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS OR DRIVING UP STEEP HILLS AND THE SHUTDOWN IS IMMEDIATE (NO PRIOR WARNING), CAUSING SUDDEN AND SIGNIFICANT DROP IN SPEED AND FRANTIC ACTIONS BY THE DRIVER TO ABRUPTLY STEER THE UNPOWERED CAR TO THE SHOULDER. THERE ARE NO EXTERNAL INDICATORS TO WARN OTHER VEHICLES OF THE SUDDEN SLOWDOWN AND LANE CHANGE AND THE DRIVER DARE NOT USE THE BRAKES TO SIGNAL OTHERS BECAUSE TO HIT THE BRAKES WITH THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN AND THE VEHICLE ALREADY QUICKLY SLOWING TO A STOP WOULD CAUSE THE FEH TO ABRUPTLY STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF HIGHWAY. ALTHOUGH THIS PART IS UNIQUE TO THE HYBRID VERSIONS OF ESCAPES, FORD REFUSES TO CLASSIFY IT AS A UNIQUE HYBRID COMPONENT (WHICH WOULD BE COVERED BY THE 8 YR 100,000 MI WARRANTY) AND ROUTINELY CHARGES $800 TO REPLACE IT. IN MY CASE FAILURES HAPPENED FOUR TIMES IN THE LAST YEAR, ALWAYS ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAYS. TWO OF THE FAILURES NEARLY CAUSED MULTIPLE CAR PILEUPS BECAUSE THE INTERSTATE WAS FULL OF CARS AND SEMIS WHEN THE ENGINE CUT OUT. I AM FRANKLY SHOCKED THAT THE NHTSA DIDN'T REQUIRE A RECALL YEARS AGO FOR A WELL-KNOWN AND COMMON DEFECT THAT WITHOUT WARNING CAUSES FEH'S TO ABRUPTLY AND SIGNIFICANTLY SLOW DOWN SPECIFICALLY AT HIGH SPEEDS OR STEEP HILL CLIMBS, FORCING THE DRIVER TO ABRUPTLY CHANGE LANES TO GET TO THE SHOULDER. SEVERAL CLASS ACTION LAWSUITS ARE BEING PREPARED. ISN'T IT TIME THE NHTSA ADDRESSED THIS VERY SERIOUS DEFECT? *TR

THE POWER STEERING FALTERED GOING AROUND A CORNER AND I HAD TO MANUALLY STEER THE CAR. THE POWER STEERING CAME BACK WITHOUT INTERVENTION BUT IT WAS QUITE DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE MANUALLY IN THE TURN. I BROUGHT THE CAR TO THE DEALER RIGHT AWAY. I AM STILL AWAITING THE DEALERS DIAGNOSIS. *TR

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT HIGHWAY SPEED ON A SUMMER NIGHT AT AROUND 9:00 PM, THE CAR'S ENGINE SUDDENLY STOPPED, A RED WARNING TRIANGLE LIGHT CAME ON, AND THE DASH MESSAGE SCREEN SAID, "STOP SAFELY NOW." I PULLED THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, TURNED IT OFF, AND WAS ABLE TO RESUME DRIVING AFTER A FEW MINUTES. ON 5 SEPARATE TRIPS SUBSEQUENTLY, THIS SUDDEN LOSS OF ENGINE POWER HAS HAPPENED, OFTEN IN HEAVY TRAFFIC WHERE PULLING TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WAS VERY DIFFICULT AND DANGEROUS. THE FAILURE OFTEN HAPPENS MULTIPLE TIMES ON THE SAME TRIP. EACH TIME THE FAILURE HAS HAPPENED HAS BEEN IN THE SUMMER AND IN THE LATE AFTERNOON OR EVENING. EACH TIME THE CAR CAN BE RESTARTED ONCE PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TURNED OFF. *TR

I WAS PULLING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE AND LOST POWER STEERING. THE TORQUE SENSOR LIGHT CAME ON. I HAD IT TOWED TO MY FORD DEALERSHIP, WHO INFORMED ME THEY NEEDED TO REPLACE THE POWER STEERING MODULE FOR $2200. WE WERE DECIDING WHAT TO DO NEXT, WHEN THE RECALL CAME OUT FOR THIS EXACT ISSUE. THE DEALERSHIP COULD NOT FIX IT AS FORD HAS NOT PUT OUT CORRECTIVE ACTIONS. IT IS NOW JUNE 16TH, WHICH IS WHEN THEY PROMISED CORRECTIVE ACTION WOULD BE OUT BY. WHEN WE CALLED ABOUT GETTING A RENTAL VEHICLE, AS MY HUSBAND AND I ARE NOW USING ONE CAR, THEY SAID THEY WOULD NOT COVER IT. THEN 15 DAYS LATER THEY CALLED AGAIN SAYING NOW WHAT IS WRONG WITH OUR CAR IS NOT COVERED BY THE RECALL. HOWEVER, READING THE RELEASE FROM THEIR SPOKESWOMAN ON AUTOBLOG, IT IS EXACTLY WHAT IS COVERED, WHICH IS REPLACING THE POWER STEERING ELECTRONIC SENSOR MODULE. FORD IS TRYING TO PASS THE BUCK HERE AND NOT TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PROBLEM. WE HAVE LOST INCOME DUE TO OUR LACK OF HAVING A SECOND CAR, AS I MUST DRIVE MY HUSBAND TO WORK 15 MILES ONE WAY, THEN GO BACK ANOTHER 55 MILES THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION, SO NEITHER OF US CAN TAKE ON EXTRA WORK SO THAT EACH OF US HAS A WAY TO GET TO AND FROM WORK. *TR

WE WERE DRIVING UP I-95 FROM FL TO VA WHEN THE CAR SUDDENLY GAVE A LOUD WARNING TONE AND DISPLAYED THE MESSAGE STOP SAFELY NOW. THE CAR LOST ALL POWER AS WE QUICKLY TRIED TO CROSS SEVERAL LANES OF TRAFFIC TO REACH THE SHOULDER. UPON EXAMINATION OF THE CAR WE STARTED IT UP AGAIN WITH NO CONSEQUENCE AND CONTINUED ON OUR TRIP. ABOUT 30 MINUTES LATER IT HAPPENED AGAIN. AFTER READING THE OWNER'S MANUAL I DISCOVERED THE WARNING MESSAGE INVOLVED A COMPONENT OF THE HYBRID SYSTEM. I DECIDED TO TRY SHUTTING OFF THE ECON SWITCH (WHICH ACTIVATES BATTERY) AND ALL AC/ ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS. THIS WORKED BEAUTIFULLY FOR 100+ MILES UNTIL AT NIGHTFALL THE HEADLIGHTS KICKED ON AND OUR TROUBLES RETURNED. SINCE IT WAS SUNDAY NIGHT WE DECIDED TO STAY OVERNIGHT WHERE WE WERE AND GET IT CHECKED BY THE NEAREST FORD IN THE MORNING. THE DIAGNOSTICS ($95) REVEALED IT WAS THE MOTOR ELECTRONIC COOLING PUMP AT FAULT WHICH THIS DEALER DID NOT CARRY. WE CAUTIOUSLY CONTINUED USING THE NO ELECTRICAL METHOD AND WERE ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY REACH OUR DESTINATION 400MILES AWAY WITH NO MORE INCIDENTS, WHERE WE THEN TOOK IT TO OUR HOME DEALER FOR REPAIR. A VERY DANGEROUS CONDITION WHICH UPON RESEARCH I'M LEARNING IS HAPPENING TO MANY OTHER ESCAPE HYBRID OWNERS. *JS

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY DURING A LONG TRIP (9 HOURS) A TRIANGULAR WARNING LIGHT FLASHED ON: STOP SAFELY NOW, AND THE CAR DECELERATED QUICKLY AS THOUGH THE ENGINE HAD ABRUPTLY STOPPED, BARELY ALLOWING TIME TO PULL OFF ROAD. FORTUNATELY, THERE WAS A SHOULDER AT THAT SPOT ON THE HIGHWAY. THERE IS NO WAY TO SAFELY STOP A CAR THIS SUDDENLY THAT IS TRAVELING ON A HIGHWAY! AFTER READING THE MANUAL WHICH DIRECTED DRIVER TO WAIT A BIT AND THEN RESTART CAR, THE DRIVER DID SO AND EVERYTHING SEEMED FINE UNTIL IT HAPPENED AGAIN, TWICE, ON THE HIGHWAY AGAIN AFTER DRIVING FOR ONLY 2 HOURS. PLEASE; JUST BECAUSE THERE WASN'T A CRASH, INJURY, FIRE, OR DEATH DOES NOT MEAN THIS IS "SAFE ENOUGH." *TR

VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT AND MADE A NOISE. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME WHICH INVOLVED FIRST AND REVERSE GEARS. THAT TIME THE VEHICLE WAS COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY. THIS TIME MY WIFE WAS DRIVING WHEN THE CAR STARTED TO MAKE A FUNNY NOISE. SHE PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT AND CALLED ME. WHEN I GOT THERE AND STARTED THE CAR THE NOISE I HEARD WAS VERY BAD COMING FROM UNDER THE CAR. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO OUR FORD DEALER AND WAS CHECKED. NOW WE ARE BEING TOLD THAT THE TRANSMISSION AND COOLER NEEDS REPLACED AT A COST OF ALMOST $5000.00. THE CAR NOW AS 62000+ MILES AND NOT UNDER WARRANTY. *TR

I HAD BEEN TRAVELING IN A CONSTRUCTION ZONE SO I HAD MY CRUISE CONTROL SET SOMEWHERE NEAR 35 OR 40MPH. THE CONSTRUCTION ZONE CLEARED UP AND I RETURNED TO NORMAL SPEED BUT LEFT THE CRUISE CONTROL ON. I ACCELERATED ON MY OWN TO ABOUT 70MPH. A MINUTE LATER THE GAS PEDAL LEFT MY FOOT AND WENT TO THE FLOOR ACCELERATING THE VEHICLE. ONCE AT ABOUT 80MPH THE PEDAL LET GO AND SLAPPED THE BOTTOM OF MY FOOT (WHICH WAS STILL IN THE POSITION IT WAS IN AT DOING 70MPH. THE GAS PEDAL (ON IT'S OWN) MOVED TO THE FLOOR AND SLAPPED MY FOOT ABOUT 6 TIMES BEFORE I TURNED OFF THE CRUISE CONTROL. AND AGAIN, THE CRUISE CONTROL SPEED WAS SET AT ABOUT 40MPH. *TR

WHILE DRIVING AT A NORMAL SPEED, THE ELECTRICAL PANEL HAS STARTED DISPLAYING "STOP SAFELY NOW" AND THE ENGINE SHUTS DOWN. THIS WAS HAPPENING SPORADICALLY BUT HAS SINCE STARTED HAPPENING MORE CONSISTENTLY. IT HAPPENED WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY ON 3/22/2013, WHICH IS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN WHEN A VEHICLE SHUTS DOWN IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY HIGHWAY. ONCE I PULL OVER AND RESTART THE CAR, EVERYTHING APPEARS NORMAL UNTIL THE NEXT TIME IT HAPPENS. ON 3/23/2013 IT HAPPENED TWICE IN LESS THAN 5 MILES. *TR

TRAVELING ON FREEWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH. WITHOUT WARNING, ENGINE COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN. CHIME SOUNDED AND WARNING MESSAGE APPEARED ON DASHBOARD SAYING "STOP SAFELY NOW." RED TRIANGLE WITH EXCLAMATION POINT IN CENTER APPEARED ON DASH. I WAS INFORMED BY FORD SERVICE DEPARTMENT DURING REPAIRS THAT THIS IS A KNOWN FAILURE PROBLEM AS RELATED IN FORD TSB 09-18-6, AFFECTING SIMILAR VEHICLES UP TO 2007. *TR

WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AT AROUND 55-65MPH THE VEHICLE LOST ENGINE POWER, A WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AND A "STOP SAFELY NOW" MESSAGE. THE VEHICLE LOST THE ABILITY TO ACCELERATE BUT WE WERE ABLE TO COAST TO A STOP AT AN EXIT THAT HAPPENED TO BE NEARBY. DUE TO CONSTRUCTION AND THE REMOVAL OF THE SHOULDER LANE, HAD THIS HAPPENED MERELY A MILE EARLIER IN THE ROUTE THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN NO PLACE TO STOP SAFELY. THE SAME WARNING LIGHT AND ENGINE POWER LOSS OCCURRED ABOUT 10 MONTHS PRIOR WHILE DRIVING ON A TWO- LANE HIGHWAY. WE WERE ABLE TO COAST TO A STOP SAFELY THEN AS WELL, BUT WE'RE AGAIN LUCKY TO BE IN LITTLE TRAFFIC AND IN AN AREA WITH SUFFICIENT SHOULDER SPACE. AFTER TAKING THE VEHICLE TO OUR DEALERSHIP FOR SERVICE WE WERE TOLD NO PROBLEM COULD BE IDENTIFIED. EACH TIME THIS OCCURS WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO RESTART THE CAR AND COMPLETE OUR TRIP. THE INABILITY FOR THE VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE AND THE INSTANT POWER LOSS WITH THIS WARNING IS A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN THAT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED IN A RECALL PARTICULARLY IF THIS IS THE RESULT OF A FAULTY PART. *TR

THE FIRST TIME IT OCCURRED I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE INFO SCREEN TOLD ME TO STOP SAFELY AS THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN. IT HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES THAT DAY, AND THEN DIDN'T HAPPEN UNTIL TODAY, JUNE 17, 2012. THIS RECENT TIME A HIGH ENGINE TEMPERATURE WARNING CAME UP ON THE INFO SCREEN. I CHECKED ALL OF THE FLUIDS AND THEY ARE FULL AND ALL HAVE BEEN CHANGED IN THE LAST YEAR OR SO. *TR

POWER STEERING FAILED INTERMITTENTLY WHILE DRIVING ON I40 IN TENNESSEE. CAR VIBRATED AND STEERING SHOOK WHENEVER CAR WAS STEERED STRAIGHT. DRIVER HAD TO WEAVE THE CAR WITHIN THE LANE TO MINIMIZE DRIVING IN THE STRAIGHT POSITION. POWER STEERING FAILED COMPLETELY WHEN CAR WAS STARTED THE NEXT MORNING, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO STEER MANUALLY WHILE DRIVING A MILE TO THE DEALERSHIP. FORD DEALER SERVICE (CROSSROADS FORD, CARY, NC) FOUND THAT THE ELECTRIC STEERING COMPONENTS REQUIRED REPLACEMENT, INCLUDING THE STEERING COLUMN, AT A COST OF $1400. I HAVE REQUESTED THAT THE DEALER PROVIDE ME WITH THE OLD PARTS AFTER THE REPAIR. THIS SAME PROBLEM IS REPORTED ON THE INTERNET FOR THE 2008 ESCAPE AND OTHER FORD VEHICLES WITH ELECTRIC STEERING, ALTHOUGH FORD REPORTEDLY DENIES THAT IT IS SERIOUS ISSUE. FOR EXAMPLE, SEE HTTP://WWW.CARPROBLEMZOO.COM/FORD/ESCAPE/STEERING-PROBLEMS.PHP. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEM AND A CONSUMER RIPOFF, AND I ASK THAT THE NHTSA INVESTIGATE. FORD SHOULD PERFORM ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS AND RECALL FOR CORRECTION, INSTEAD OF DENYING PROBLEM. HIGH-SPEED STEERING FAILURE IN A VEHICLE WITH ONLY 75,000 MILES SHOWS POOR DESIGN OR MANUFACTURE. MY WIFE AND DAUGHTER ONLY AVOIDED DEATH OR INJURY THROUGH LUCK. HAD DRIVING CONDITIONS BEEN DIFFERENT, THEY COULD HAVE DIED. *TR

WHILE DRIVING IN THE LEFT LANE OF THE HIGHWAY AT ABOUT 60-65 MPH IN MODERATE/HEAVY TRAFFIC, THE GASOLINE ENGINE SHUT DOWN AND GAVE ME A "STOP SAFELY NOW" MESSAGE ON THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. I WAS ABLE TO GET THE CAR OFF OF THE ROAD, BUT IT WAS A RATHER FRIGHTENING AND DANGEROUS ORDEAL TO CROSS TWO LANES OF MODERATE/HEAVY TRAFFIC AFTER THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN. AFTER HAVING THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALER, THEY INFORMED ME THAT IT WAS "A PRETTY COMMON" PROBLEM AMONGST ESCAPES (TRANSAXLE COOLING PUMP / WATER PUMP). RESEARCHING THIS FURTHER, IT APPEARS THAT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF OTHERS ON MESSAGE BOARDS AND THE LIKE THAT HAVE THIS SAME PROBLEM. *TR

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE AT 70 MILES PER HOUR, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY SHUT OFF AND I RECEIVED A WARNING LIGHT, AND THE MESSAGE "STOP SAFELY NOW." THIS PARTICULAR INSTANCE OCCURRED ON 1-95 SOUTH JUST SOUTH OF WASHINGTON ON A PORTION UNDER CONSTRUCTION WITH NO SHOULDER, IT IS EXTREMELY LUCKY THAT NO MAJOR ACCIDENT OCCURRED. HOWEVER, KNOWING THAT THIS ISSUE IS FREQUENT AS CAN BE SEEN BY FELLOW COMPLAINTS, AND FROM THAT FACT THAT THIS HAS HAPPENED BEFORE, THIS VEHICLE SHOULD RECEIVE AN IMMEDIATE RECALL, AS DID THE IDENTICALLY MODELED TOYOTA HYBRID VERSIONS. THE FIRST TIME IT HAPPENED THE CAR WAS LESS THAN 2 YEARS OLD. THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE, AND IT WILL EVENTUALLY KILL SOMEONE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND A WARNING LIGHT ADVISING HER TO PULL OVER ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE CONTACT NOTICED THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE EXTERIOR DOOR HANDLE PARTIALLY DETACHED UPON ENTERING THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR LOCK FAILED TO FUNCTION PROPERLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 43,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT TRANSMISSION FUEL WAS LEAKING ONTO THE DRIVEWAY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURE WAS CONTACTED AND THEY ADVISED THAT THERE WERE NOT ANY RECALLS ON THE TRANSMISSION. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 62,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 62,972.

STARTED VEHICLE AND BOTH THE ABS AND THE BRAKE LIGHT WERE ON - THE MESSAGE SAID REGEN BRAKE HAD BEEN DISABLED AND THERE WAS A BRAKE ISSUE. TOOK THE CAR IN TO THE DEALERSHIP THE NEXT DAY AND WAS TOLD THE HYDRAULIC BRAKE SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AND WOULD COST 4 GRAND TO FIX. IT SEEMS THIS IS OCCURRING QUITE A BIT WITH FORD ESCAPE HYBRIDS BUT THERE IS NO RECALL AS OF YET. *JS CONSUMER TRADED IN THE VEHICLE FOUR YEARS AGO AFTER THEY GOT CONCERNED ABOUT THE BRAKES. CONSUMER DOES NOT HAVE THE VIN NUMBER UPDATED 6/8/18*JB

WHILE DRIVING ON A BRIDGE AT 65 MILES PER HOUR, I HEARD A BEEP AND A TRIANGLE LIGHT CAME ON. THE CAR IMMEDIATELY JOLTED AS IT LOST POWER AND IT DISPLAYED A MESSAGE TO STOP SAFELY. THIS WAS IN LATE MORNING TRAFFIC AND A SEMI WAS ABLE TO SLIGHTLY SWERVE TO THE RIGHT IN ORDER TO AVOID REAR ENDING ME AS I HAD SUDDEN REDUCED POWER AND LITTLE MEDIAN SPACE TO COAST TO ON MY LEFT SIDE. I WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE CAR AFTER A FEW MINUTES. A FORD DEALER HAS RUN A DIAGNOSTIC AND CONFIRMED IT IS A FAILURE OF THE MOTOR ENGINE COOLING PUMP AND THE OVERALL COST FOR PARTS AND LABOR, INCLUDING DIAGNOSTIC IS $738. AFTER READING ALL OF THE COMPLAINTS TO THIS AGENCY AND ONLINE ENTRIES, I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT NO ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN ABOUT THIS SAFETY HAZARD. THERE ARE TWO ISSUES, THE FIRST BEING THAT THE COOLING PUMP IS KNOWN TO FAIL ON THESE VEHICLES AT DIFFERENT MILEAGE LEVELS, AND IS SUPPOSEDLY NOT COVERED BY THE HYBRID WARRANTY EVEN THOUGH IT IS ONLY FOUND ON HYBRIDS. FORD DEALERS WILL NOT EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM. THIS PART SHOULD BE RECALLED AS IT IS KNOWN AS ONE CAUSE THAT LEADS TO THE SHUT OFF OF THE CAR AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS. SECOND, FORD'S SHUTOFF DESIGN ITSELF IS SERIOUSLY FLAWED SINCE IT ALLOWS THE CAR TO UNEXPECTEDLY SHUTOFF AT HIGH SPEEDS RISKING COLLISION AND INJURY. I AM FORCED TO PAY THE HIGH COST OF THIS PARTICULAR REPAIR BECAUSE I CANNOT DO IT MYSELF, HOWEVER, I NO LONGER CONSIDER THIS A RELIABLE SAFE VEHICLE. I URGE NHTSA TO INVESTIGATE THESE COMPLAINTS RATHER THAN WAIT FOR ONE OF THESE INCIDENTS TO RESULT IN DEATH OR SERIOUS INJURY. AT THE VERY LEAST FORD SHOULD BE NOTIFYING ALL OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES ABOUT THE DEFECTIVE COOLING PUMPS AND NEED FOR REPLACEMENT.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 2 MPH, THE THROTTLE BEGAN TO STICK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE BOTTLE ASSEMBLY CARBURETOR THROTTLE AND A GASKET WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 86, 919 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 90,094. UPDATED 08/28/12*LJ

PLEASE ISSUE AN IMMEDIATE RECALL FOR THE MOTOR ELECTRONICS COOLING SYSTEM PUMP ON ALL 2005-2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRIDS. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE TO FORD AND THE SUBJECT OF TSB 08-24-5. THIS PART FAILURE IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. WHILE THE CITED COMPLAINTS FORM AN ALARMING PICTURE OF THE MECS PUMP FAILURE ISSUE, THIS LIST IS BY NO MEANS EXHAUSTIVE. A SEARCH OF COMPLAINTS FOR THE 2005-2007 ESCAPE HYBRIDS RETURNS ADDITIONAL HORRIFYING INCIDENTS INVOLVING THIS PART FAILURE. IT IS APPALLING THAT WITH SO MANY REPORTS OF HIGH-SPEED ENGINE SHUTDOWNS AND NEAR-MISS ACCIDENTS THAT THIS ISSUE DOES NOT EVEN HAVING A PENDING DEFECTS INVESTIGATION. PLEASE RIGHT THIS WRONG BEFORE SOMEONE IS SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED. *TR

2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO TRANSMISSION AND ENGINE PROBLEMS *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN HE DECIDED TO SLOW DOWN BY APPLYING THE BRAKE AND SHIFTING THE CVT TRANSMISSION INTO LOW RANGE, TO HIS SURPRISE THE TRANSMISSION DID NOT SHIFT DOWN AND ALLOW THE ENGINE COMPRESSION TO SLOW THE VEHICLE DOWN. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, BUT THEY WERE UNABLE TO FIND ANYTHING WRONG. THE CONSUMER WAS ADVISED BY FORD CUSTOMER SERVICE TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO ANOTHER DEALER. THE SERVICE MANAGER STATED THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE SHIFTED INTO LOW AT 50-60 MPH AND EXPECT IT TO SLOW DOWN. HOWEVER, THE CONSUMERS MANUAL STATED THE TRANSMISSION MAY BE SHIFTED INTO LOW AT ANY SPEED. UPDATED 09/11/12

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE ENGINE REVVED AND THE WRENCH WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE LOST POWER STEERING WHILE DRIVING. SHE WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER, AND RE-START THE VEHICLE. THE POWER STEERING FAILURE OCCURRED BETWEEN MAY AND NOVEMBER 2012. THE CONSUMER THEN RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER IN THE MAIL, REGARDING AN ISSUE WITH THE POWER STEERING. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER, SHE NEEDED TO GET PRIOR APPROVAL FROM FORD. UPDATED 12/15/14*BF UPDATED 01/12/15

SUNROOF EXPLODED FROM INSIDE TO OUT, SENDING GLASS FRAGMENTS EVERYWHERE. IT WAS NOT HIT WITH ANYTHING. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 FORD ESCAPE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ABNORMAL FUMES EMITTED INTO THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE WHEN THE AIR CONDITIONING UNIT WAS ACTIVATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 83,000. UPDATED 10/10/12 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN THE AC WAS ON, THERE WERE FUMES EMITTING FROM THE VEHICLE AND COMING INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. ALSO, THE TIRES WERE BAD AND THE FRAME WAS BENT. UPDATED 10/17/12

WHILE TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 70MPH AND AFTER SEVERAL HOURS OF HIGHWAY DRIVING, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT ANY WARNING LOST ALL FORWARD ENGINE POWER (COMBUSTION ENGINE AND HYBRID SYSTEM). THE INCIDENT OCCURRED WHILE IN THE LEFT LANE OF A MAJOR INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. THE MESSAGE "STOP SAFELY NOW" APPEARS ON THE DRIVER DISPLAY. MY WIFE WAS DRIVING AND NARROWLY AND MIRACULOUSLY AVOIDED ACCIDENTS WITH FOLLOWING TRAFFIC INCLUDING TRACTOR-TRAILERS AND WAS ABLE TO MOVE THE VEHICLE TO THE RIGHT HAND SHOULDER. AFTER SEVERAL MINUTES ON THE SIDE OF THE FREEWAY, THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND WAS ABLE TO BE DRIVEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE DIAGNOSIS INDICATES A HYBRID MEC PUMP FAILURE. AFTER RESEARCHING THIS FAILURE MODE ON THE INTERNET AND THROUGH OTHER SOURCES, IT APPEARS THAT THE FOLLOWING SITUATION EXISTS: 1) THIS COMPONENT EXHIBITS A VERY HIGH AND PREMATURE FAILURE RATE AT ALL MILEAGE LEVELS. 2) THE FAILURE MODE (SUDDEN AND UNEXPECTED LOSS OF ALL VEHICLE POWER) IS HIGHLY LIKELY TO RESULT IN FATALITIES AND MAJOR ACCIDENTS. 3) THE ABOVE INFORMATION IS WELL KNOWN TO FORD MOTOR COMPANY AND VARIOUS TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS HAVE BEEN ISSUED TO AID IN THE DIAGNOSIS AND REPLACEMENT OF THIS COMPONENT. 4) NHTSA HAS PREVIOUSLY RECEIVED 25 SIMILAR OR IDENTICAL DEFECT REPORTS, YET STILL NEITHER NHTSA NOR FORD MOTOR COMPANY HAS ACTED TO PROTECT FORD ESCAPE OWNERS FROM THIS SAFETY CRITICAL DEFECT. I URGE NHTSA AND FORD MOTOR COMPANY TO OPEN A FORMAL SAFETY INVESTIGATION ON THE FORD ESCAPE HYBRID MEC PUMP "STOP SAFELY NOW" POWERTRAIN FAILURES BEFORE LIVES ARE LOST AND MORE ACCIDENTS OCCUR DUE TO THIS DEFECT. *TR

THE ABS SYSTEM HAS BEEN GETTING DISABLED INTERMITTENTLY AND THE CHECK BREAK LIGHT HAS BEEN COMING ON. BREAKS HAVE NOT BEEN WORKING PROPERLY RESULTING IN MY VEHICLE GOING TO FAR INTO AN INTERSECTION WHEN TRYING TO STOP AT STOPLIGHTS. THANKFULLY NO ACCIDENTS HAVE OCCUR YET. TOOK IT TO A DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD ME I NEEDED A NEW MASTER CYLINDER. ANOTHER PLACE DID A DIAGNOSTIC ON IT AND TOLD ME THAT THE MASTER CYLINDER IS FINE AND THE ALARMS ARE BEING SET OFF BECAUSE THE BATTERY PORTS WERE CORRODED. THEY CLEANED THEM, CLEARED THE CODES. A FEW DAYS LATER THE ALARMS WERE COMING BACK ON AGAIN. *TR

WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 75 IN FLORIDA, THE GAS ENGINE SHUTDOWN AND A WARNING LIGHT/MESSAGE APPEARED "STOP SAFELY NOW". OUR VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY BEGAN TO DECELERATE, RUNNING ONLY ON THE ELECTRIC MOTOR, AS WE TRIED TO CROSS TWO LANES OF TRAFFIC "SAFELY". WE PULLED ONTO THE SHOULDER, AND TURNED THE CAR OFF. WE WERE ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE WITHOUT GETTING THE ERROR MESSAGE. WE EXPERIENCED THIS SAME SUDDEN ENGINE SHUTDOWN AND FEH WARNING 5-6 TIMES OVER THE COURSE OF OUR ROAD TRIP FROM WISCONSIN TO FLORIDA AND BACK. UPON RETURN TO WISCONSIN, WE HAD THE CAR CHECKED OUT BY OUR FORD DEALER, AND THEY INFORMED US IT WAS A FAULTY MOTOR ELECTRONICS COOLANT PUMP (PART #5M6Z-8C419-A). FORD HAS ISSUED A TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM (TSB 08-24-5), BUT HAS NOT YET ISSUED A RECALL. SINCE THE UNEXPECTED DECELERATION OF A VEHICLE TRAVELING AT HIGH SPEEDS CONSTITUTES A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE (AS MANY FORD ESCAPE HYBRID OWNERS ON EDMUNDS.COM CAN ATTEST, HTTP://TOWNHALL-TALK.EDMUNDS.COM/DIRECT/VIEW/.F0FF5B5), I AM STRONGLY URGING YOU TO COMPEL FORD TO ISSUE A RECALL ON THIS PART. *TR

THE HCU UNIT WHICH IS SPECIFIC TO HYBRID ESCAPES WENT OUT ON ME CAUSING ABS TO NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY (BRAKES TURNED TO SPONGE). I WAS INSIDE OF WARRANTY 8YEARS/ 100000 MILES UNIQUE HYBRID COMPONENT. I HAD LESS THAN 48,000 AND WAS INSIDE OF FOUR YEARS OF HAVING BOUGHT THE HYBRID SUV BRAND NEW. CONTACTED FORD DEALERSHIP WHICH THEN DIRECTED ME TO FORD CORPORATE OFFICE. THEY SAID THE WARRANTY DID NOT COVER THE UNIQUE HYBRID COMPONENT!! I HAD ROOM TO STOP SO I WAS LUCKY THAT NO ONE WAS HURT WHEN THE HCU UNIT WENT OUT. *TR CONSUMER SOLD THE TRUCK IN 2012. CONSUMER TOOK FORD TO SMALL CLAIMS COURT IN ALEXANDRIA, VA AND WON 4K. UPDATED 6/8/18*JB

ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS MY POWER STEERING HAS FAILED. ON EACH OCCASION THE ANTI-SKID WARNING LIGHT HAS COME ON AT THE SAME TIME. THE VEHICLE IS STILL ABLE TO BE STEERED AS LONG AS YOU HAVE ENOUGH STRENGTH. THE POWER STEERING WILL RESET AS SOON AS YOU SHUT THE CAR OFF AND RESTART. 3 TIMES THIS HAPPENED IN THE EXACT SAME SPOT WHILE DRIVING ON THE 408 AT ABOUT 60 MPH IN ORLANDO, FL. THE 408 IS A TOLL ROAD EQUIPPED WITH ELECTRONIC RECORDING OF TOLL USAGE (E PASS). THIS HAPPENED WHILE PASSING ONE OF THE ELECTRONIC RECORDERS. ON OTHER OCCASIONS IT TENDS TO HAPPEN ON WARM AFTERNOONS, AND THEN SHUTTING THE VEHICLE OFF AND RESTARTING WILL ONLY RESET IT FOR A SHORT TIME BEFORE IT HAPPENS AGAIN. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION AND FROM RESEARCHING THE PROBLEM ALTHOUGH NOT WIDE SPREAD, IS CERTAINLY NOT UNIQUE WITH FORD ESCAPES OF THAT YEAR, YET FORD CLAIMS TO HAVE LITTLE OR NO KNOWLEDGE OF THE PROBLEM. NO MECHANIC, FORD OR OTHERWISE HAS A CLUE AS TO WHAT TO DO WITH THIS. I DON'T HAVE THE MONEY TO TAKE THIS IN TO THE FORD GARAGE FOR THEM TO BLINDLY REPLACE PARTS AND PIECES AT HUNDREDS OR THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS PER VISIT. I SINCERELY HOPE SOMEONE CAN HELP BEFORE PEOPLE BEGIN DYING ON OUR ROADS DUE TO THIS PROBLEM. TO: FORD MOTOR, PLEASE REMEMBER TOYOTA'S EXPERIENCE OF THE PAST YEARS BEFORE BLINDLY DISMISSING THIS PROBLEM. *JS *TR

MY DAUGHTER WAS ON HER WAY TO SCHOOL WHEN ENTERING A CURVE IN THE ROAD HER STEERING LOCKED UP SHE THEN WENT OFF THE ROAD AN STRUCK A CULVERT WENT AIRBORNE AND WHEN COMING DOWN STARTED ROLLING SHE WAS THROWN OUT OF THE CAR EVEN THOUGH SHE HAD HER SEATBELT ON AS THE POLICE REPORT STATED SHE SPENT 5 DAYS IN THE ICU WITH HER BACK BROKEN IN 3 PLACES SHE JUST TURNED 17 SHE HAS ALEAST 2 MONTHS BEFORE MAYBE SHE WILL BE BACK TO NORMAL WE WILL HAVE TO HOME SCHOOL HER FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR. I WILL BE CONTACTING A LAWYER AND FORD MOTOR COMPANY AND AS I HAVE READ FORD IS AT FAULT WHETHER THEY ADMIT IT OR NOT. *TR

THE ABS LIGHT AND TRACKING LIGHT COMES ON DASHBOARD INDICATING A PROBLEM. WHEN I GO TO STOP THERE IS THIS TRACKING RESISTANCE WHEN APPLY BRAKES. FORDS DEALERSHIP TELLS ME THE RIGHT ABS RING IS CRACKED ON THE BRAKES. GOT FIXED, NOW THIS HAS HAPPENED 2 MORE TIMES, ONCE ON LEFT SIDE AND TWICE ON RIGHT SIDE. WHEN I HAD TO STOP SUDDENLY THE BRAKES FEEL LIKE THEY DON'T WORK AND MAKE THIS TRACKING NOISE AS LIKE WHEN YOU ARE ON ICE. VERY SCARY, MY CAR NOW HAS 145,000 MILES THIS LAST TIME. HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FORDS TO MAKE A RECALL ON THIS PART, MY SON SAYS THAT THE WATER GETS UP IN IT AND CAUSES IT TO RUST AND CRACK. I'M SURE I AM NOT THE ONLY FORD ESCAPE 2008 WITH THIS PROBLEM.

I HAVE A 2008 FORD ESCAPE HYBRID (PURCHASED IN APRIL 2007), WITH 67,000 MILES ON IT. I WAS TRAVELING AT 65MPH, STARTING TO HEAD INTO THE SIERRAS OUTSIDE OF SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA. I HAD BEEN DRIVING FOR 2 HOURS, AND HAD TRAVELED 120 MILES THAT MORNING WHEN THE CAR ENGINE SUDDENLY CUT OUT, AND THE WARNING LIGHT "STOP SAFELY NOW" APPEARED ON THE DASH. LUCKILY, IT WAS ONLY 6AM AND THERE WAS ONLY ONE OTHER CAR NEAR ME ON THE ROAD. I PULLED OVER 3 LANES, BRAKES AND STEERING WORKING, BUT WITH NO GAS. I TURNED THE CAR OFF FOR A MINUTE, STARTED IT UP WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS OR WARNING LIGHTS. I WAITED ANOTHER MINUTE OR TWO, AND HEADED OUT ON THE ROAD. WHEN I GOT BACK UP TO 65MPH THE ENGINE CUT OUT AND THE WARNING SHOWED UP AGAIN. THIS TIME I WAS ALREADY NEAR THE SHOULDER SO I STOPPED AGAIN. I WAS ABOUT TO GET INTO A SNOWY UPHILL CLIMB AND DECIDED THAT, NOT KNOWING WHAT THIS CAR WOULD DO, THAT IT WAS UNSAFE TO CONTINUE. I DROVE SLOWLY TO THE NEXT EXIT, AND GOT MYSELF TURNED AROUND. FOR THE FIRST HOUR I DROVE AT UNDER 60MPH WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS. I WAS ABLE TO ACHIEVE 65MPH IN THE SECOND HOUR WITHOUT PROBLEM. I HAD THE ERROR CODES ASSESSED BY A FORD DEALER AND THEY SAID IT WAS AN MEC PUMP FAILURE (THE PUMP THAT COOLS THE ELECTRIC BATTERY). I WAS VERY LUCKY THAT THIS HAPPENED WITH SO LITTLE TRAFFIC VOLUME. THERE WAS NO WARNING, AND THE SUDDEN CUT OUT OF THE ENGINE WAS STARTLING AND UNSAFE. I FEARED FOR MY LIFE WHILE HEADING HOME AS THE VOLUME OF CARS PICKED UP AROUND ME. *JS